Van Ryder GamesHostage Negotiator Crime Wave Board Games

This game does not disappoint, and that could be the end of the review! A great solo board game.In short, you face off against one unique hostage taker and their second in command, randomly drawn demands, escape cards, etc; while you are trying to protect a group of hostages (yellow meeples!) and take out the hostage taker.Card play and die rolling make up the majority of the game play. It’s done well and you can always find an in-depth review on that aspect.I have never felt guilty about losing a meeple in a board game before, but when you do in this game, you will!!This game is worth your time.

Ive spent hours and hours playing this game solo on my desk. Its always fun to pick it up and get in the mood to rescue some people from the vicious hands of their captors !

If rescuing hostages and making critical decisions with a dash of luck thrown in sounds like fun, then this is your game! I really dig it. You can't go into it thinking that you are going to win every time, it's just not possible. The more times you play, the better your strategy will get, even if you have some unlucky dice rolls.

very good game, difficult. better get with expansions. recommended

One of the best solo board games I've played.

I was intrigued by the concept but ultimately let down. The game is brutally difficult and is way too dependent on dice rolls. The threat and demand cards repeat too often. The game is designed to get you to purchase the expansion packs early on (it even comes in an oversized box to accommodate them). I'm a fan of solo games, but this was a punishing experience. Needs a set of difficulty levels, with an easy one to start out, and more variety in the base game cards.

Hostage Negotiator Crime Wave is the second title in the Hostage Negotiator series (which also includes smaller abductor pack expansions and a 2020 release of Hostage Negotiator Career. Hostage Negotiator is a dice manipulation game for one player that involves making tough decisions and wise resource use. Although it is random due to the dice, there are certain game mechanics that give you some control over dice outcome, but it's always going to cost you! Crime Wave can be played with or without the base game (having the base game just adds more cards) and can also be played with any and all of the expansion packs. The box is deliberately large as it is intended to be able to store all of the current and soon to be released content in the full HN series. Far right photo above shows how the base game box (and the Career box) will fit into the CW box, and also shows how the cards and dividers are stored. (Please note that the wood card stands and plastic container for the meeples are NOT part of the game but were purchased separately)++Quality components. The cards have a linen finish, the playing board is of very sturdy material and the meeples are made of wood. The dice are slightly larger than the base game and are well made as well.++Great solo game play. It sets up in a few minutes and takes about 30-40 minutes to play. You are constantly forced into tough decisions, especially whether to keep pushing your luck with the dice.++Replayability. There are numerous abductors, various demand cards and a shifting conversation deck that make each game different.++Thoughtful design. The back of the play board (3rd from left) has suggested set-ups for creating your own decks which is a very nice touch.++Great customer service. Van Ryder games is very active in various social media groups answering players' questions.++The game is not easy, that's for sure. Which is why a win on the last turn (there is a "timed" terror deck that determines the end-game) is such a great feeling. And when you lose, you want to immediately try again because you were just sooo close to victory++Extra touch. The addition of a female hostage negotiator gives base game owners the chance to choose between male and female negotiators, which is nice touch.++Highly recommend this game.